royer 122v, Operation Instructions Manual & User Manual

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microphones brings up equal amounts of the microphone’s dis-
tortion products and noise; garbage that contributes to an unnat-
ural, unpleasant sound. Because distortion and self-noise are
almost nonexistent in ribbon microphones, high levels of EQ
can be used without adding harshness or excessive noise.
Hum, Noise & Mic Orientation
All dynamic microphones, including ribbons, are electromag-
netic devices and are, to some degree, susceptible to picking up
stray alternating magnetic fields. Power transformers (such as
those found in guitar amplifiers) and alternating current motors
are the most likely sources of radiated noise. Building wiring
and electrical utility transformers are other likely sources. A
well-designed microphone provides shielding to minimize the
effects of stray magnetic radiation. In some cases complete iso-
lation is impossible and the result is usually hum or buzz.
Passive ribbon microphones can potentially manifest this con-
dition to a greater degree because of their higher gain require-
ments. Even an active ribbon microphone like the R-122 is not
completely immune to this phenomenon. Vintage ribbon micro-
phones often have poor shielding and the problem can be
worse. The cure for this problem is to identify the source of the
noise and move the microphone away from it. Another trick is
to alter the orientation of the microphone in such a way that the
noise is cancelled out. If you ever experience this situation
while in the studio, try rotating the microphone to identify the
“null” point, then reposition the mic and the sound source. This
is much like having a guitar player with single coil pickups turn
around until amplifier hum disappears.
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